15th Annual Truckee River Cleanup Day

It's time to give back to the Truckee River, the beautiful stream flowing through Reno and Sparks that we all enjoy and that provides our drinking water. Truckee River Clean-up Day is on Saturday, September 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon and your help is needed.

Clearing weeds during Truckee River Clean-up Day in Reno, Nevada
Photo © Stan White

Volunteers will work at one of several locations along the Truckee River corridor, picking up trash, pulling weeds, cleaning and sweeping, removing graffiti, planting flowers, wrapping trees, and more. In 2011, over 600 volunteers cleaned up 12.5 tons of trash along the river. To join the effort, fill out the online volunteer form and select one of the sites where you would like to work. For 2012, these are Crystal Peak Park, Mayberry Park, Oxbow Nature Study Area, Lockwood, Fisherman's Park, Rock Park, Glendale Park, Cottonwood Park, Reno Sparks Indian Colony Health Center, McCarren Ranch, and Gateway Park.

You can get more information by calling (775) 851-5185. People under 18 who want to volunteer without an adult must have a signed permission form from their parent or guardian. Experienced kayakers are also needed to help fish trash out of the water. Following the cleanup, there will be a volunteer appreciation BBQ lunch at Rock Park in Sparks.

Truckee River Clean-up Day is organized by Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful (KTMB). Numerous local businesses, organizations, and government entities help sponsor Truckee River Clean-up Day.

National Public Lands Day is on September 29 and there are other volunteer opportunities besides the Truckee River Cleanup Day. Project locations in our area include Washoe Lake State Park and Washoe Valley. If you will be somewhere in Nevada outside the Reno / Tahoe area (or anywhere in the U.S. for that matter), you can still volunteer at one of numerous participating sites. Click on the state of interest and you will get a list of projects and details for that state.

Source: Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful.

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